Pauline McNeill

18 May 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how young people will be equipped with skills for jobs through initiatives such as Project Scotland.

Answer · Allan Wilson: By developing young people's confidence, teamworking and other soft skills, Project Scotland compliments Executive programmes - such as Determined to Succeed, Skillseekers and Modern Apprenticeships - helping develop a skilled workforce with the attitudes to …

13 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans for an overall review of government and accountability in the further education sector.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Following completion of the 2002-03review of governance and accountability arrangements in the further education sector,ministers agreed to a further review after two years. A review will commence shortly.</p>

23 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the composition of the working group being set up to review the scope and impact of adult entertainment has now been agreed.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The following people have agreed to sit on the working group to review the scope and impact of adult entertainment. Linda Costelloe Baker has agreed to chair the group.</p> <p>Linda Costelloe Baker, Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman. </p><p>James Coleman, Dep…

16 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland on its thematic inspection of the response of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service on race issues will be available.

Answer · Colin Boyd: The Inspectorate’s report has been published today and is available on the Scottish Executive’s website. <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/">www.scotland.gov.uk</a>.</p> <p>The report makes 12 recommendations, all of which I have accepted. Our full departmen…

1 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners' receptions of women there have been in each of the last (a) 12 months and (b) three years.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>Provisional data for 2004 isgiven in the table:</p><p>Female Receptions to PenalEstablishments</p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cell…

28 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many women have been referred to the Glasgow drugs court and, of these, how many have been charged with soliciting since the beginning of the drugs court pilot scheme, broken down by month.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The following table detailsthe number of women referred to the Drug Court each month since the start of the pilot. (Where no month is given, no referrals of women were received).</p><p>No women have appeared inthe Drug Court as a result of a charge of solici…

28 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of A Better Way: The Report of the Ministerial Working Group on Offending.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: <i>A Better Way</i> was published in February 2002 and has formed thebasis for developing sentencing options for women who offend. The report didnot make specific recommendations but drew some important conclusions. As a result,the Executive has taken forward…

28 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is monitoring the number of women sent to the Time Out centre in Glasgow who would otherwise be in custody.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: It is not possible todetermine what sentence or disposal might otherwise have been imposed by thecourts on women who offend, had Time Out not been available, except in veryspecific circumstances (for example, on bail with a condition of residence).</p><p>Howe…

28 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners' receptions of women there have been at HM Prison Greenock in each of the last 12 months.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:</p><p>No female prisoners arereceived in HM Prison Greenock from the Courts - all transfer there fromCornton Vale. The number of women at Greenock …

28 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is monitoring the work of the Time Out centre in Glasgow.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Executive is in regularcontact with the 218 Time Out centre and receives monthly monitoringinformation from the pilot.</p><p>The pilot is also being evaluatedby researchers from the University of Stirling and a report is expected in October.</p>

28 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with progress being made in reducing the number of women in custody.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Sentencing must remain a matterfor the courts. The Executive, however, remains committed to reducing the numbersof women sentenced to custody who might benefit from a community penalty. We haveincreased the sentencing options available to the courts over the …

24 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of patients suffering from rheumatological conditions are prescribed anti-TNF drugs; what information it has on how this figure compares with international data in respect of the prescription of anti-TNF drugs for patients suffering from rheumatological conditions, and wha…

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not available centrally. Prescription of the anti-TNF agents should be undertaken by consultant rheumatologists specialising in their use. Data on drugs dispensed in hospitals are not available centrally. Centrally collected data relate to…

23 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are planned regarding investigating and regulating lap dancing and associated activities.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive intends to take a stronger approach to adult entertainment activity – including lap dancing – recognising the concerns being expressed about it. We are taking a two stage approach to the issue that will lead to new powers to regulate adult enter…

23 Feb 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution it envisages can be made to its climate change programme by waste-to-energy schemes.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The National Waste Plan, published in 2003, envisages that energy recovery from municipal waste will increase to 7% by 2010 and 14% by 2020. The overall impact of the plan, including significant reductions in landfill and increased recycling and composting, i…

22 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what statutory provisions have been made to enable MSPs, councillors and community councillors to participate in community planning.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Local Government in ScotlandAct 2003 provides the statutory basis for community planning. It does not specificallymention MSPs or community councillors. </p><p>Section 15(1) places a duty onlocal authorities to initiate, facilitate and maintain a communit…

2 Feb 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact centralisation of cardiothoracic services at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital will have on NHS Greater Glasgow's acute services review.

Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS Greater Glasgow and NHS Lanarkshire today commenced a three month consultation exercise on this proposal. I am informed by NHS Greater Glasgow that the Golden Jubilee National Hospital proposal enables them to accelerate the siting of Cardiothoracic surge…

19 Jan 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be used to determine the provision of accident and emergency services in Glasgow.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I am advised by NHS Greater Glasgow that the NHS board will consider a report on the review of the assumptions that underpinned the decision on accident and emergency services in the near future.</p>

5 Jan 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to encourage the recycling of Christmas cards, trees and packaging.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive is encouraging the public to participate in the Woodland Trust Christmas Card Recycling Scheme 2005 and collection bins are available in WH Smith and Tesco stores.</p><p>Many local authorities have organised special arrangements for Christmas tr…

1 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish-domiciled applicants were accepted to study medicine in 2004 from Scottish (a) state and (b) independent schools.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The data requested is not available centrally to this level of detail.</p>

1 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given to medical schools on admissions procedures.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Acting on behalf of the Scottish Executive, the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council sets the number of funded student places available to each medical school in Scotland. Within this allocation our universities are, as autonomous bodies, responsible for…

19 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Expert Group on Prostitution will report.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I expect to receive the Expert Group on Prostitution’s report before the end of this year.</p>

17 Nov 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applicants making challenges under the European Convention on Human Rights have been funded through legal aid.

Answer · Hugh Henry: A recently published research report showed that the number of cases in Scottish Courts involving the European Convention on Human Rights has dropped in recent years. No comprehensive figures are available on the number of such cases where the applicant is le…

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the new ScotRail franchise distinguishes the reliability of commuter trains from other train services.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Yes. Performance is monitored across a number of discreet service groups including suburban, express, peak and off peak services.</p>

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets have been set in the ScotRail franchise for the punctuality of trains.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The franchise agreement contains targets for punctuality, which divides the train fleet into eight service groups. There are targets for each of these groups, based on minutes lateness of trains. Information on lateness is gathered and reported on at least mo…

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of any savings made from the ScotRail franchise will be reinvested in the service.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: All actions to increase franchise revenues will decrease the overall public subsidy requirement and increase capacity for funding franchise operations.</p>

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to invest any savings made from the erection of ticket barriers at railway stations as part of the ScotRail franchise.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The savings made from the erection of ticket barriers will reduce the subsidy required by the franchisee. As part of the franchise agreement there are significant proposals to improve Scotland’s railway stations.</p>

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what savings have been derived from the erection of ticket barriers in railway stations as part of the ScotRail franchise.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The introduction of automatic ticket barriers at Waverley, Haymarket and QueenStreet stations is expected to increase revenues by around £1.5 million per year.</p>

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it would expect to see improvements in the ScotRail service following the award of the new franchise to First Group plc.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Service improvements from the new Franchise began with its launch on 17 October 2004. For example, early improvements include higher standards of cleaning of stations and trains, additional ticket inspectors to be in place by the beginning of December and imp…

22 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive from what date NHS Scotland was advised that funding for the anti-TNF drugs, etanercept and infliximab, should be made available to meet local clinical need.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) (now part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland) issued advice on the use of etanercept and infliximab on the following dates:</p><p>17 May 2002 - Comment on the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) T…

22 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive from what date clinicians were advised that they can prescribe the anti-TNF drugs, etanercept and Infliximab, whenever it is clinically appropriate in an individual case.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Health Technology Board forScotland (HTBS) (now part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland) issued advice onthe use of etanercept and infliximab on the following dates:</p><p>17 May 2002 - Comment on theNational Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Tech…